Final answer:
The moral standards expected by a society are known as ethics, which guide how we should behave towards one another, especially in social settings. Ethics are upheld by community standards and are crucial for maintaining societal norms and principles.
Step-by-step explanation:
Morality and Moral Development
The moral standards expected by a society are known as ethics. These are the norms that establish how humans ought to behave amongst each other, especially in social contexts where our actions affect others. Unlike laws that are legal standards enforced by governmental institutions, ethics are more about personal codes of conduct and social expectations.
Morality is a social phenomenon that requires interaction with others to have definable meaning in terms of right and wrong. When individuals coexist, society contributes to shaping what we consider ethical behavior. This is why there are societal constructs like mores and folkways, which embody the moral views and principles pertinent to particular communities. Normative ethics, one of the three main branches of ethical study, specifically aims to establish standards or norms for moral conduct that can guide individuals in behaving ethically within their societies.
Therefore, the correct answer is 5. Ethics. Ethics define the moral compass of a society and influence how we interact with one another, emphasizing the importance of actions like keeping promises, helping others, and observing societal norms. They may not be enforced by law but are upheld by community standards and can be the basis for praise or blame within a community.